Some of the music on Sing To The Moon will be up there with the best that you will hear in 2013. Sing To The Moon is a Soulful affair and Laura’s vocal talent helps carry this over the line making it a stellar album.
If (in the UK) 2012 was Emeli Sande’s year then 2013 should be Laura Mvula’s. Not only is she talented but she makes great music, songs like “I Don’t Know What The Weather Will Be”, “Make Me Lovely” and “That’s Alright” need to be exposed to the masses. Now.
“Green Garden”, the latest single to be released from the album isn’t bad but is in no way one of the album’s better songs. The Wendy Morgan directed video for “Green Garden” is however well worth watching.
With opening lyrics like “I will never be what you want and that’s all right/ cos my skin aint light and my body ain’t tight/ but that’s all right,” it’s hard not to love “That’s Alright”. It is quite possibly Sing To The Moon s best song and Laura’s frankness makes this even better.
The album’s high standards drop when “Can’t Live With The World” begins. The song has a slight dreamy feel to it and brings a change of pace with it, it’s a slow and gentle affair compared to the album’s previous tracks which were alot more joyous upbeat. At more than 5 minutes it is however a little too long and the song’s BPM makes this feel even longer.
“Is Anybody Out There” continues the slow theme and follows on from exactly where “Can’t Live With The World” left off. Things do get a little better when the snare kicks in, but it is a little too late to save this song. The upbeat joyful numbers which litter this album are where Laura Mvula shines.
“Father, Father” is the best of the album’s slow songs and is infact one of Sing To The Moon’s highlights. The kick is the perfect company for Laura’s beautiful voice and this song that will sound brilliant when Laura’s performs it live.
When Laura’s music reaches the US, one song that they’re going go mad for will be “Make Me Lovely”. It is one of the album’s few RnB songs and features Mvula at her best; with her powerful chorus stealing the show.
Laura’s debut single “She” is another of the album’s highlights. It is everything that “Can’t Live With The World” and “Is Anybody Out There” should have been. A great choice as a lead single to the album as it gives a great taster to Laura’s music. “She” is an absolutely brilliant song and the first 1:50 seconds of it are something else.
If you haven’t heard the album or any of Laura’s music then “I Don’t Know What The Weather Will Be” is one of the songs that I would recommend you hear. Good new Soul music isn’t always the easiest to find, but this song is a brilliant example that it still does exist.
While the album’s title track “Sing To The Moon” is not a bad one it certainly isn’t one of the album’s best or worthy of being the title song. Infact the albums last three songs wouldn’t be missed if they were not included on the LP.
Highlights
Lows
In Summary
Sing To The Moon isn’t perfect; the album has its faults but they are small and can be deleted from your play list. Doing so will not leave you with a selection of songs so small that you wonder why you purchased the album. It will instead allow your ears to focus on the good bits, which are really good.
Rating
Laura Mvula’s debut album Sing To The Moon was released today and is available to buy now on iTunes. You can also stream Sing To The Moon on Spotify now.
Previously: Album Review: Devlin – A Moving Picture
Previously: Album Review: Devlin – A Moving Picture
